Better things are electric........

[Michael Rogers]

Graham, that's a really interesting link, thanks. I don't understand high (or low) finance, but the article does explain the travails of Torqeedo, as experienced by those of you who (admirably, from an environment point of view) tried to make it work for you. It would be interesting to know something more about the commercial background of ePropulsion, but I guess the relevant information may not be in the public domain.

Andy, can I refer back to Dec 15 - did you find out any more about the Ron Marks gizmo?

[Andy Dingle]

Hello Michael ..

Co-incidentally I was out sailing yesterday (before storm Freya hit) with the chap who has the hand cranked prop. He has tried it and is very pleased - but that was in static water. He must have been happy with it as he has now sold his dinghy outboard ..

Regards

[Graham W]

It would be interesting to know something more about the commercial background of ePropulsion

Michael,

It’s not easy to discover but they are based in Hong Kong and manufacture in China (Dongguan).  I’ve heard it suggested, completely scurrilously, that for a time bits of the Torqeedo and ePropulsion units were made in the same Chinese factory. Torqeedo are finally fighting back with a stronger and substantially quieter (direct drive) Travel 1103C but it’s taken them more than two years to catch up.

[Graham W]

Torqeedo’s financial tribulations appear to continue.  I think that they’re suffering from competition from ePropulsion and perhaps the cost of moving up the scale into much larger saildrive motors.  They have a new(ish) CEO “with a focus on improving profitability”, presumably at the behest of parent company Deutz.  I still don’t understand why Deutz bought them two years ago.

Torqeedo could start by improving their smaller recreational product line.  The announcement of new products for 2021 is unexciting for the likes of us.  There’s a direct drive version of the Travel 1103’s less powerful relative, which is designated the Travel 603.  They say that it’s suitable for boats up to 1 tonne but I think that’s very optimistic.  And that’s it.  No response to eProp’s much higher capacity battery on the Spirit Plus and, direct drive aside, no addressing the plasticky fragility of Torqeedo’s smaller outboards.

[Graham W]

How about this for an interesting idea?  https://www.temofrance.com/en_GB/shop/product/t450-43-temo-450-104#attr=

It’s a long tube with an inbuilt battery and a motor and propeller on the end.  Use it a bit like a motorised sculling oar. It might suit small dinghies and tenders.  It isn’t very powerful and the battery won’t last long but it might be useful for manouevring around a marina.  The biggest drawback is the price of €1,450.

[Charles Scott]

That seems like a huge amount of money for very little. One of my other interests apart from sailing is building and flying radio controlled model aircraft ( when I say "flying" I really mean crashing). These days, most of us use electric power via Lipo ( lithium polymer) batteries, and one of my fellow aviators has diabetes, and failing eyesight because of it. He has been forbidden to drive, so has rigged up an electric bicycle using a model aircraft electric motor, and lipo batteries. I have clocked him doing 30 mph and he says the duration is good. He is quite a whizz at things mechanical and electrical, and I am sure he could put together an electric outboard for a fraction of the prices I have been seeing on this forum. I think the main problem would be keeping the motor from the water, as I think the easiest way is with direct drive from a motor under the surface. Since lockdown, we have not been able to get together for flying/crashing, so I have not seen him for a while, but might be able to contact him if anyone thought it were a good idea. I am thinking of the possibility of making electric Swallow propulsion actually realistic from an economical point of view. Any thoughts ?

[Sea Simon]

I really like the idea of that TIMO electric sculling oar type gizmo.
It would really suit my "yotting" profile, in terms of powering my tender out to the BRe on the mooring.
Light (5kg) easy to carry to take home to charge.
Many advantages to me, and in my case more useable than an eprop/torqueedo.

But £1300! Really?
 NO WAY, in my case, is that remotely affordable/justifiable for the application.
Similarly to Charles S, I just can't see where these prices come from?
I'd also agree that the main issue is probably the durable/waterproof housing? Perhaps that's where the costs lie, in small run applications?

I'd also be frightened to put the TIMO down and turn my back; so "nickable", and I'd guess impossible to insure?

As I've posted before, I cannot be an early adopter at these high prices/risks.
Hopefully my Honda 2.3 will last until this sort of thing is available at sensible prices?

[Graham W]

But £1300! Really?
 NO WAY, in my case, is that remotely affordable/justifiable for the application.
Similarly to Charles S, I just can't see where these prices come from?
I'd also agree that the main issue is probably the durable/waterproof housing? Perhaps that's where the costs lie, in small run applications?

They claim to have sold 400 so far - probably mainly to St Tropez and Monte Carlo.  I doubt whether what they have done is patentable, so someone else should be along soon.  At least some of the additional cost must be from what looks like telescopic carbon fibre tubing to keep the weight down. 

Having read Roger Barnes on the subject, I’m looking forward to trying to scull over the stern when we’re finally released into the wide world.  I have a spare 9ft oar and am wondering if it will be long enough.

[Sea Simon]

Not as if it's entirely a new concept